Unsettled
by Snow Glows Blue
Summary: Alexander's daemon still hasn't settled. (Hamilton/Madison, Daemon AU.)


Alexander's daemon still hasn't settled.

Thomas makes fun of it, sometimes (all the time). James wishes he wouldn't - James's daemon settled late too, does Thomas not remember that or does he just choose to ignore it? - but he does. Alexander doesn't seem to mind, though. Some days he almost seems proud, that his daemon takes the form of a lion one day, a swan the next.

James wishes he could be that confident. Most days he keeps Sebastian in the pouch of the oversized purple hoodie that he stole from Thomas last year, not willing to leave him behind but also unwilling to display the shape of his soul to the world.

But he wishes anyway.

Alexander's daemon is a duckling today, fluffy and the kind of bright yellow that's uncommon in real ducks but universal on the packaging of Easter candy, running in small circles around the lunch table while her human laughs with his friends. His real friends, not people like James that he puts up with sometimes.

Until Aaron taps him on the shoulder, James isn't even aware that he's staring at her.

"Were you hoping for something else?" Aaron asks, softly enough that no one will hear. Not like anyone's listening.

Like Aaron doesn't know that already. "Like anyone hopes for a _hedgehog,"_ James mutters, letting himself sound a little bitter.

In his pocket Sebastian shifts. James cups him in one hand, pulls him out of his pocket to hold him against his chest. "Sorry," he says, more quietly. Nobody hopes for a hedgehog, but that's no reason to be rude.

Aaron's looking at him with something like pity. James doesn't want pity. He wants a daemon that isn't a fucking hedgehog. Something that doesn't display to the world how much he just wants to curl up into a ball and never talk to anyone ever again.

Except Alexander. He's willing to talk to Alexander. Even with his stupid hedgehog daemon.

Apparently, even for a couple of hours, Thomas is unable to avoid being an asshole.

"I can't believe it hasn't settled yet," he says, almost as soon as Alexander is out of earshot. James curls his shoulders inward, buries his hands deeper in his pockets, says nothing. "I mean, I get that you settled late -" oh, so Thomas does remember, isn't that so very nice of him - "but that was two years ago. Fourteen and unsettled is just late. Sixteen and unsettled is like still wetting the bed in high school."

James doesn't respond. Doesn't know what to say. Doesn't know how to say "Leave him alone" in a way that won't make Thomas mock James instead of Alexander.

Thomas is continuing, oblivious. "And his friends aren't much better. I've always liked Lafayette, but if I'd gotten a tarantula I would've shot myself." Thomas got a tiger, at exactly the age he was supposed to, what does he know about that? _Nothing,_ James thinks, with a viciousness that scares him a little.

"I'm sorry, Thomas, I have to go," James says, doesn't wait to hear Thomas's response.

Thomas is the only friend he has, he reminds himself.

Naturally, in English class that day, they have a group project.

Naturally, James is paired with Alexander. John Jay too, who James has no opinion on one way or the other, but he's sick as usual so it's just the two of them. James isn't sure how he feels about that, because academically Alexander is the best person in the entire school to have in your project group, but on the other hand, _Alexander_.

It's sixth period, so instead of meeting up after school they just walk to James's house together, which is good because he has a rock solid excuse to avoid Thomas but, again, _Alexander._ He doesn't stop talking the whole way or for almost ten minutes afterward, which James expects to be annoyed by but is actually kind of nice, and he keeps calling James _Maddy,_ which is obnoxious the first three times but not that bad, as far as nicknames go. Definitely better than _Sonic,_ which had lasted for a solid month after Sebastian settled, or _Little_ anything, though he supposes _Jemmy_ on its own wouldn't be too bad either.

"Hey," Alexander says, after James has been silent for a few moments too long. "Are you okay?"

James nods. "Yes, I'm fine."

Alexander smiles, long and sweet, and it becomes a little more true. "Cool, so what do you think she means by 'respond to?' Because I've had her dock me points for analyzing instead."

It was supposed to be a two-week project, but by the semi mystical powers of teamwork and Alexander Hamilton, they finish that afternoon with time to spare.

Alexander's daemon is a kitten now, glossy black and stretched out behind them across the bed. James can't quite stop his eyes from following her motions, and he's trying to keep it subtle but that's clearly not working because Alexander says, "Her name is Rachel, if you're wondering." He pronounces it like in Hebrew, ra- _hell_ , with a soft rasp over the h. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen your daemon?"

It was always inevitable, James supposes. He takes Sebastian out of his pocket.

"His name is Sebastian. And, um, he doesn't talk."

Now for the questions. James can already feel himself flinching away from the equally inevitable raised eyebrows and odd looks - everyone knows what a same-gender daemon means, nowhere near everyone but certainly Alexander knows how common hedgehog daemons are among abuse survivors, everyone knows that daemons are supposed to be able to talk except if their human is mute and James _isn't_ so what must have happened to them _everyone always wants to know -_

"Okay," Alexander says,and waits for James to relax. "I'm not going to ask, I'm not a _complete_ dick."

And yeah, okay, that's funny, and James laughs at it. Alexander laughs back, and if James could live in the moment forever he absolutely would.


End file.
